Expanding Fifth Wave - Brazil

[Surfer of Saragar]

Hi guys,

I'm a doctoral student in economics in Brazil and gurps player. I have recently read transhuman space and loved the setting. I wanted to play a grittier campaign with a cyberpunk feel. So I though Brazil would a great setting. The problem was that there was not enough description in Fifth Wave to run a full campaign in Brazil in 2100. So I decided to expand the description. I would like to know what you guys think about it and if anything I wrote is in disaccord with what is written in other transhuman space books.

Transhuman Space - Brazil

Brazil is sometimes called the "China of South America." The comparison is apt: although Brazil lags behind its neighbors in technology and standard of living, it boasts the largest economy on the continent. Indeed, Brazil has the fifth largest national economy on Earth, and seems likely to play an increasingly important role in world affairs with time. Early in the past century, Brazil was often snarled in controversy over environmental issues. The vast potential resources of the Amazon basin were regarded as key to Brazilian prosperity, but at the same time any development of the region threatened some of the most valuable rainforest ecosystems on the planet. The tension between these facts led to considerable internal strife, as well as a series of disputes with the world community. During the 2030s, Brazil developed a significant local biotech industry, encouraging policy−makers to impose effective protections on the Amazon basin. This proved not so difficult, once preserving the rainforest was regarded as more profitable than destructive development. Deforestation was halted by 2045, and has somewhat reversed since then as ecologists slowly learn to reconstruct the natural ecosystem.

Brazil has a variety of Fourth and Fifth Wave industries, notably bioroid manufacture, genetic engineering, pharmaceuticals, and heavy robotics. Indentured bioroids and engineered parahumans are relatively common. The country also has a small but very active space program, dating to the early 2010s when Brazilian investors helped build the first launch facilities in Ecuador.

In Brazil it is common to say that in the U.S. there are no left-wing parties, in the sense that the two dominant parties - Democrats and Republicans - adopt postures that would be considered right-wing by Brazilians. Likewise Brazilians also state that no Brazilian political declares himself to be right-wing. Nevertheless, throughout the 21st century in the U.S., the Green Party has grown and systematically launched competitive candidates for the presidency – despite never having won. Likewise throughout Brazilian history, we have observed nominally socialist political parties defending the privatization of public services and respect for copyright laws.

Brazil has a long tradition of a mixed economy between free market capitalism, state capitalism and socialism. Actually Brazilian policy of compulsory license of drugs copyrights started in the late 20th century. Throughout the century this policy was extended to include all intellectual property. By the laws of the country any Brazilian legal person can apply for the break of a copyright considered critical to the development of the nation. In practice very few patents were broken throughout the century. The patent owner may appeal and a body known as the National Superintendence of Copyrights for Development (SUNAPA) mediates the issue. Usually the result is a term of adjustment of conduct where abusive prices are lowered and, in case of foreign companies, promises of investment in local development of technology and research are made (which is only partially fulfilled). Although criticized by other nations and some Brazilian politicians that policy is seen as being important to the economic development of Brazil during the 21st century.

Still its economic development has not been accompanied by military development so the country lacks core technologies to project its economic and diplomatic power. Their military strategy is of deterrence and aims simply rule out the possibility that economic conflicts turn into military conflicts. But since the end of the pacific war the country has made major investments in military technology and the whole world expects a war will burst between Brazil - and their allies - and the South American arm of the TSA. The diplomacy of the country is also extremely focused on commercial aspects trying to avoid prosecution in the International Court of Justice while expanding bilateral intellectual rights that recognize their policy of compulsory license of copyrights for development and not isolate the country from the rest of the world.

Brazil is part of an alliance called UNASUL (South American Union) formed by Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Founded in 2011 this alliance initially included all the countries of South America, but it broke after the Andes War where it proved unable to deal with the threat posed by the Red Sword which led the Peruvian government to request American assistance. At the time UNASUL was opposing the growing alliance of Ecuador to the U.S., mainly due to the spaceport of Columbia Aerospace that was easily winning the competition with the Brazilian Alcantara spaceport located in the northeast of the country - partly due to an internal quarrel of the Brazilian space program. The war was the catalyst that led to the departure of the Andean countries from the block. This led to a revision of the UNASUL treaty, unifying it with MERCOSUL (Common Market of the Southern Cone) initially strengthening a now smaller but more united block. Unfortunately for Brazil the alliance again is suffering from internal conflicts. Argentina, jealous of the Brazilian leadership on the alliance, has strengthened its ties with the Americans in order to counterbalance the Brazilian influence in the region.

The main challenge for Brazil in the early 22nd century should be the growing tension with his former Andean allies. The country must be able to lead the region against possible the socialist aggression without needing outside help, mostly from Americans, but without isolating itself from the outside world. Failing this challenge can lead the country to a future where it will be forever under the wings of a great foreign power and with a dwindling voice in world affairs.

Brazil and Mexico

Brazil is richer and more populous than Mexico. Nevertheless its power score is 0.2 points lower than the Mexican (17.6 versus 17.8). This is because power is a combination of economic productivity, ability to project its military and diplomatic influence. While in the first item the country is doing very well, in the other two - military force and diplomacy - the country is relatively weak. The deterrent military strategy that was adopted for most of the century limited its military development. The deterrent doctrine offers few material opportunities for the armed forces, in part because it is more dependent on political will than of military capability, in part because the goal of deterrence is clear: punish the enemy, which leaves little room for technical expertise and technological development. Regarding diplomatic influence the alliance led by the country - UNASUL - suffered and suffers from internal divisions and fights.

(The U.S. deterring policy during the cold war is different from the Brazilian in the 21st century. First because it was a deterring policy against de U.S.S.R. but an offensive policy against the developing world, on the grounds of promoting democracy. Second because it was trying to deter a foreign power from expand its sphere of influence, not deter a foreign power to use its military power to influence the domestic affairs.)

The issue of Alcantara spaceport

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Brazil has, in practice, two space programs that compete. One known as Alcantara Cyclone Space, a Brazilian and Ukrainian binational company and another known as the Brazilian Space Agency, a Brazilian public agency. Ironically the Brazilian government clearly favored the binational company. With this the Brazilian Space Agency sought international partnerships and found in Columbia Aerospace a friendly and willing partner. With time, the Agency abandoned Alcantara spaceport and now has most of its operations at the Ecuador with the administrative side in Brasilia. Meanwhile Alcantara Cyclone Space had its development hampered by the political and economic situation in Ukraine. The situation has improved significantly in recent years with the recovery of this country. Unfortunately for the spaceport workers the company is investing heavily in the Project Olympus in Kenya. It is likely that with the completion of the space elevator Alcantara base will also be abandoned by Cyclone.